Method and apparatus for making spring assemblies



Feb. 9, 1965 w. STUMPF 3,168,792

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING SPRING ASSEMBLIES Filed June 28, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 (oi 73 49 i v 73 39 Wa/fer Sfumpf' awmi ai EM F ZALU ATTORNEYS Feb. 9, 1965 w. STUMPF 3,168,792

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING spam; ASSEMBLIES Filed June 28, 1963 4 SheetsShee:c 2

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METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING SPRING ASSEMBLIES Filed June 28, 1963 r 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 REVERSINQ SWITCH TRANSFOIZMER INVENTOR. Wa/fer Sfumpf M 21,440 ,rrrolelvlsYs 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Feb. 9, 1965 w. STUMPF METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING SPRING ASSEMBLIES Filed June 28, 1963 I07 KW 29 United States Patent 3,168,792 METHGD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKERS i SPRENG ASSEMBLIES Walter Stumpf, Munster, Ind, assignor to Simmons Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 28, 1963, Ser. No. 289L350 8 Claims. (Cl. 29-433) The invention relates to improvements in mattress manufacture and more specifically to improvements in the manufacture of mattresses that employ cores of wire springs. The invention particularly relates to the manufacture of an inner spring mattress of the general type disclosed in US. Patent No. 1,677,232 to John F. Gail.

The mattress construction disclosed in the Gail patent has a core composed of a series of nested rows of integrally connected, closed, textile fabric pockets, each pocket having a double-ended, coil wire, axially vertical spring. The springs may be cylindrical, ie, the exterior diameter of the turns of the coil wire spring being the same from the top to the bottom of the spring, or, preferably, the springs may have a barrel shape wherein the diameter of the turns of the springs in the pockets is greater in an intermediate zone of the coil wire spring than at the ends thereof.

In the manufacture of spring mattress cores of this type, it is general practice first to make up strips of spring-filled pockets, or a continuous length of said pockets, and then to arrange a series of these strips or the continuous length in a series of nested rows, sudioient in number and of proper length, to form a core having the desired dimensions. To accomplish this operation, it is customary to use a skeleton frame of some type having fingers or pegs that support the rows of pocketed springs in their proper relative positions. Then, while the assembly of juxtaposed rows of spring-filled pockets are on this skeleton frame, the rows are tied together in some manner to form an integral assembly. The tying operation enables the assembly to be handled or transported during subsequent operations and also prevents displacement of the springs, or rows of springs, relative to each other during subsequent finishing operations and during use by the purchaser of the final completed mattress.

One method of tying the assembly that has provided very good results is described in US. Patent No. 2,805,- 429 to Woller, which is assigned to the assignee of this patent application. This patent describes a method for producing a mattress asssembly of the aforementioned type utilizing a plurality of twine ties, located intermediate the top and bottom faces of the core, to interconnect the various springs. By this method, needles are first thrust through a mattress core from side to side thereof while the core is arranged on a skeleton rack. The needles are arranged in pairs and the ends of a single twine connector are inserted into the heads of each pair of needles, so that as the needles are withdrawn, they draw the lines of twine back through the core. The ends of the twine connections are then removed from the heads of each pair of needles, and tied together to form a loop.

Although this method has proved very effective in operation and a significant advance over the prior art methods, it is desired to eliminate the manual tying of the ends of the twine connections in order to obtain greater uniformity of product.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method for manufacturing a mattress core of the general type described and an apparatus for carrying out this method. It is another object of the invention to provide an improved method for forming a mat- "ice tress core in which the rows of springs are uniformly connected in a direction transverse thereto, without tying or knot-ting the connectors. It is a still further object to provide apparatus for production of improved mattresses of the above-mentioned type having varying widths. These and other objects of the invention are more particularly set forth in the following detailed description and in the accompanying drawings of which:

FIGURE 1 is a rear elevational view of an assembly rack in accordance with the invention;

FIGURES 2 to 5 inclusive, are partial front elevational views of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1, which illustrate the sequence of operations which form the core assembly;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 66 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURES 7 and 8 are fragmentary enlargements of portions of FIGURE 1, showing successive positions of certain of the interengageable operative parts;

FIGURE 9 is a schematic view of the electrical circuitry used with the apparatus;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary enlargement of FIG- URE 3, particularly showing the assembly of the spring coils with the rack;

FIGURE 11 is a sectional View taken along line 11-41 of FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary diagrammatic perspective view of a pocketed spring assembly after it has been ernovcd from the apparatus;

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the upper end of the assembly rack, shown partially in section =to illustrate the needle and shield assembly in the position shown in FIGURE 2 but with a string connection also illustrated in dotted outline as it would be inserted into the needle;

FIGURE 14 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the \slidable racking pegs which support the spring coils on the rack;

FIGURE 15 is a front view of the needle point;

FIGURE 16 is a side view of the needle point; and

FIGURE 17 is an end view of the needle point.

Basically, the invention provides a method for manufacturing a mattress core in which a series of nested rows of integrally connected, closed, textile fabric pockets, each containing a doubleaended, axially vertical wire coil spring, are cross-connected by a series of spaced connectors of equal length which extend transversely through the rows of springs between the top and bottom faces of the core, and which have at each end an anchoring head. Because the connectors are of equal length, each of them exerts the same transverse force upon the assembly with the result that its finished width is independent of the variations inherent in manual tying, and therefore uniform throughout the assembly, and from assembly to assembly. The invention also provid'es an apparatus for practicing the method.

Referring initially to FIGURE 1, the apparatus 21 comprises an upright support structure 23 on which there is disposed a vertically movable assembly rack 25 and a stationary upper needle bank or array 27. Drive means 29 move the rack 25 to and from an upper position in which the pocketed spring coils are impaled on the needles. 'A pair of laterally slidable blocking bars 31, each having suitable actuating means 33, are selectively engageable with slidable racking pegs 34 carried by a rack 25 as the rack is withdrawn downward from the needles, thereby to compress the pocketed spring assem: bly 35 vertically on the rack in order to facilitate the disengagement of the connectors 37 from the needles.

The overall operation of the apparatus 21 is illustrated in FIGURES 2 through 5. FIGURE 2 shows the apparatus 21 at rest before operation begins. In FIGURE 3 3, a long strip of spring-filled pockets has been laid onto the rack 25 in serpentine fashion in horizontal rows to provide a spring assembly 35 having the desired shape of the final mattress core. In FIGURE 4, the rack 25 has been driven to its upper position so that the spring assembly 35 has become impaled on the needle array 27 and so that the bottom tips of the needles protrude from the bottom edge of the spring assembly 35. The ends of suitable string connectors 37 have been inserted into the tips of the needles to form half-loops depending from each pair of needles. The lower blocking bar 31 is then actuated to move it into the engaging position (FIG. 8). As the rack 25 is driven downward to its lower position, the bar 31 blocks the travel of the lowermost slid; able pegs 34 on which the spring rows are assembled, compressing the assembly as shown in FIGURE 5. In this position the tips of the needles have cleared the upper edge of the spring assembly 35. The ends of the connectors 37 are removed from the tips of the needles, thus freeing the connectors from any attachment with the needle array 27. The blocking bar 31 is then actuated to displace it to the idle position (FIG. 7). This allows the spring assembly 35 to expand from its compressed position to its normal position. This action places the connectors 37 in tension so that when the Spring assembly 35 is removed from the pegs on the rack, it is held in an integral configuration of uniform dimension by the tensioned connectors 37.

Referring now more specifically to the structure of the apparatus 21, the upright support structure 23 includes a pair of parallel floor brackets 39 each of which has suitable sockets to receive the lower ends of a pair of spaced, cylindrical vertical side rails 41 (FIGS. 1 and 6). Each pair of vertical side rails 41 supports a headblock 43 having sockets which receive the upper ends of the side rails 41.

The vertical movable assembly rack 25 includes an outer rectangular frame 45 which is formed from upper 47 and lower 49 sections of angle iron spaced apart by side sections 51 of angle iron and suitably welded to form a rigid frame. The angle iron sections are arranged so that one flange of each lies in a single vertical plane and the other flanges extend rearwardly to form a shallow boxlike structure.

The rack 25 is mounted in the upright support structure 23 by pairs of suitable upper and lower outrigger brackets 53 which are rigidly attached to the side frame sections 51, and have C-shaped extension sections 55 which are positioned in the gaps between the pairs of vertical rails 41 (as seen in FIG. 6). Four rollers 57 are rotatably mounted on each bracket extension section 55, each roller having a concave face which engages the cylindrical surface of the adjacent side rail 41. As shown in FIG. 6, two rollers ride the facing surfaces of each rail pair to guide the movement of the rack 25 in a vertical plane, and the remaining two rollers ride the flanking surfaces of each rail respectively to maintain lateral stability. A horizontal cross bar 59, an elongated tube with both ends flattened, extends between the side sections 51 at the level of the upper brackets 53 to stiffen the rack 25 transversely at the point of its running con: tact with the side rails 41.

The drive for raising and lowering the rack 25 comprises a horizontal drive shaft 61 which extends completely across the apparatus and is journalled at its ends in the floor brackets 39. A driven shaft 63 similar to the drive shaft 61, is journalled in the headblocks 43 at the top of theapparatus'zl. The two shafts are each provided at their ends with sprockets 65 which are connected by roller chains 66, the ends of which are secured to brackets 67 on the front faces of the side members 51 of the rack frame. A reversible drive motor 68, similarly connected to the lower shaft 61by a chain and A sprocket drive raises and lowers the rack 25 when appropriately energized.

The needle array 27 is suspended from an upper support bar 69 which extends completely across the apparatus between the headblocks 43 in a position below the upper driven shaft 63.

The horizontal rows ofpocketed springs are supported on the rack by a plurality of pegs 34 (FIGS. 2, 13 and 14) each secured to a slide block 70 supported between pairs of spaced vertical tracks 71. The pegs 34 are thus aligned in vertical rows.

Each pair of vertical tracks 71 is secured by screws'to top and bottom spacing blocks 73 which are in turn screwed to the rear faces of the vertical flanges of the frame 45 (FIGS. 7, 13).

As best seen in FIGURES l3 and 14, each peg 34 extends forwardly from the bottom of a front shoe 75 secured to the slide block 74) by screws. The shoe 75 ex tends partially between the tracks 71 and also has side flanges 77 which abut the front edges of the tracks 71. The slide block 79 extends forwardly into the space between the tracks 71 to meet the rear surfaces of the shoe 75, and is similarly provided with side flanges 79, which together with those of the shoe, confine the block 7% between the tracks 71.

As can best be seen in FIGURE 10, the array of pegs 34 is staggered between adjacent rows so as to provide horizontal tiers of such lesser vertical spacing as to accommodate one row of springs between adjacent tiers.

To hold the slidably mounted pegs 34 in the array shown in FIGURE 10 (see also FIGS. 1 and 2), positioning pins 81 extend inwardly from the tracks 71 at the desired vertical levels to engage the bottom faces of the slide blocks 7t Because during the compression stage of the assembly operation, the blocks 76 and pegs 34 move upwardly in the tracks 71, clearance is provided so that each block 70 can pass inwardly extending pin 8?. which supports the adjacent upper block '70.

Accordingly, adjacent positioning pins 81 in each vertical row are alternately set in opposite tracks 71 of the pair and clearance for the adjacent upper pin is provided by milling or otherwise forming vertically extending slots 83 in the side face of the blocks opposite from the side upon which it is seated on its own pin. If the particular slide block 7% travels upward sufficiently far that it must also partially clear the next upper pin 81 on the same side as its own positioning pin (the lower a peg 34 is in a row, the farther it travels), a partial slot 85 is also provided in this side of the block.

This slotted arrangement in the slide blocks is shown in FIGURE 14 which depicts a peg 34 that is positioned second from the bottom in one of the vertical rows. This peg 34a is held in position by a positioning pin 81a which is placed in the left hand track 71, as viewed from the front, upon which the bottom slide block 70a rests. The peg 34b above this one, shown partially, rests on a similar pin 81b positioned in the right hand track 71. Because the peg 34a moves upwardly in the tracks a distance about twice its own height, it must clear the next upper pin 81!; and the next pin above that as well. Therefore, the right hand side face of the slide block 70a is completely slotted (83a) so that it can move upward past the head of pin 81b and a'partial slot 85 is also provided in the left hand side face which extends almost to the bottom of the block to permit the required length of travel.

The lowermost blocks in each row, which must move the maximum distance, have open slots on both sides, and are accordingly supported (FIGS. 1 and 7) either by the bottom spacing blocks 73 or by a cap screw 87 extending through the pair of tracks 71 at a slightly higher level, in accordance with the pattern of staggering.

As can be seen in FIGURES 1 and 2, when the apparatus 21 is in the initial position, the individual pegs 34 are vertically spaced a given distance above one another. The compression of the peg array is accomplished, during the compression step of the operation, by blocking the descent of the lowermost peg 34 in each row, in a manner which will be hereinafter described, thus decreasing the distances between the pegs and compressing the spring assembly 35 vertically as the rack continues its descent.

The needle array 27 includes nine pairs of vertically disposed long needles 39 positioned with their pointed ends at the bottom. The needles are secured in pairs to needle holders 91 which are in turn secured to the bottom face of the upper support bar d9.

As shown in FIGURE 13, the tips of the needles 85 extend below the upper edge of the rack when the latter is fully lowered. The tips of the needles 8h are received in guide bearings 93 secured in the arms 95 screwed to the horizontally disposed flange of the upper frame section 47. The guide bearing 93 preferably extends to or below the needle point when the rack 25 is lowered, in order to shield the point, but is cut away in front to provide access to the front face of the tip of the needle 89.

To eliminate the necessity of lmotting or otherwise tying the connectors 37 to secure them in place at the outer surface of the mattress core after the connectors 37 have been inserted through the assembly, heads 97 are provided at the ends of the string connectors 37. Although the string connectors 37 preferably comprise lengths of twine, other suitable materials in stringdike form may also be employed. The heads 97 may be fashioned of any shape which will remain outside the outer surface of the fabric against which it will bear when the connectors 37 are placed in tension in the completed mattress core. The heads 97 may comprise a button or the like which is attached to the end of the connector 37 after it has completed its travel through the spring assembly 35. Preferably, the head 9? comprises a flat metal element which is pre-criinped to the end of the string connector in T-like fashion, as shown in FIGURE 13, and drawn through the spring assembly by a needle 89, at the same time providing the means of threading the needle 89 with the string connector 37.

In order to draw the string connectors 37 through the spring assembly, a suitable chamber 99 is formed in each of the needles $9 near the tips thereof. A slot till in the front face of each needle provides an entrance to the chamber $9 through which the head 97 can be inserted. If the connector 37 is to be drawn upwardly through the spring assembly 35 by needles which have been previously inserted completely through the spring assembly, as in the illustrated embodiment, the slot ltll is formed so that its bottom edge terminates above the bottom of the chamber 99 in order to provide a retaining surface or wall 193 which assures that the head 97 remains in the chamber 99 during its passage through the spring assembly. In the illustrated embodiment, the chamber 99 is formed by drilling a suitable distance into the bottom of the rods from which the needles 39 are constructed. Tips 105 of the needles are formed separately each with a shank proportioned to fit into the bottom of the drilled chamber 9 and thereby plug it. The tip 195 may be secured in any suitable manner, as by soldering or brazing.

As best seen in FIGURES 15 and 16, each needle tip 105 terminates in a flat blade 107 the edges of which are ground at such angle to the plane of the blade that their intersection is a short line which is aligned with the apex of gable-topped guide bushings 169 of the pegs 3d. The pegs 34, in addition to supporting the springs on the rack also serve as guides for the needles 89. Therefore, each of them is provided with a guide bushing 169 the top of which is in the form of a gable 111 whose apex line is rotated from the axis of the peg 34- so as to agree with the pitch angle of the pocketed helical spring, as explained fully in the previously mentioned Patent No. 2,805,429.

An open slot 113 extends between the front edge of each peg 34 into the bushing 1&9, so that, after all of the connectors 37 have been inserted into the spring assembly 35, the connectors 37 can move freely out of the guide bushings 1%? through the open slots 113 when the completed mattress core is removed from the rack. 7

As best seen in FIGURES 1, 6, 7 and 8, the blocking bars 31 each include a pair of horizontal compression bars 115 which extends completely across the rear of the apparatus 21 at a different height. The compression bars 115 are movably supported by mounting brackets 117 secured to the vertical side rails 41, and similarly supported between their edges by brackets 119 secured to the floor. Each compression bar 115 is attached to its support brackets 117 by bolt and slot connections so that it can slide longitudinally from an idle position to an operative position at which it engages the slide blocks 7d of the pegs. In FIGURES 6 and 7, the compression bar 115 is shown in the idle position. In moving from this position to the engaging position (FIGURE 8), the compression bar 115 slides to the right, as viewed from the rear of the bars.

Although two slidable blocking bars 31 are provided, the bars are used separately. Provision of two blocking bars 31, at difierent vertical levels, adapts the apparatus 21 for use in the production of cores of different widths, e.g. for either a single bed or a double bed, the upper blocking bar being used for the narrower width, and the lower for the wider.

The actuating means 33 for shifting each blocking bar 31 to and from an operative position includes a solenoid-controlled, double-acting air cylinder 121 which is secured to the right hand mounting bracket 117, as seen in FIGURE 1. A clevis 123 at the end of the piston rod extending from the cylinder 121 is connected by a pin to an apertured bracket 125 welded to the rear face of the compression bar 115 thus linking the air cylinder 121 to the bar.

To engage the lowermost slide block 76 of each row as the rack 25 descends, each compression bar 115 is provided with a series of stops 127 appropriately positioned 0n the front face thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, the stops 127 comprise the heads of bolts pressfitted into the compression bar 115, so that they can be turned when one side of the hexagonal head is worn, and positioned so that the uppermost lands are horizontal. To provide for engagement between the stops I27 and the slide bloc as 7% the lowermost block in each vertical row is provided on its back face with a roller I29, proportioned so that it is in vertical alignment with the stops 127 when the blocking bar 33 is in the engaging position.

As seen in FIGURE 7, when the compression bar is in the idle position, the stops 127 and the rows of slide blocks it? are misaligned so that they do not engage. When the compression bar 115 has been moved into the engaging position, as shown in FIGURE 8, the roller 129 on the lowermost of each row of descending slide blocks 7% engages the top of the stop 127 thus halting its downward movement. As the rack 25 continues its travel downward to its predetermined stop position, the slide blocks 76 in each row are moved closer together, causing compression of the spring assembly 35.

In the use of the illustrated apparatus, the racking of the elongated strip of pocketed springs is begun at the bottom of the rack 25, whether racking for a single bed or a double bed mattress core. Of course, if a single bed core is to be produced, a lesser number of the horizontal rows of pegs 34 are used. In either event, after the racking of the springs is completed, the assembly impaled, and the connectors 37 attached to the needles, the rack 25 is caused to descend far enough below the compression bar 115 being used to produce about 7 inches or 8 inches of compression in the width of the spring assembly 35. The downward travel of the rack 25 is halted at the desired position by means of limit switches 131 (shown schematically in FIGURE 9) which are electrically interconnected with the motor control and conditioned selectively for operation with the solenoid conareame trolled air cylinder 121 for the respective compression bar 131 in a manner later more fully explained in connection with the overall operation of the electrical circuitry illustrated in FIGURE 9.

After a limit switch 131 has halted the downward travel of the rack, each of the connector heads 97 is removed from the respective needle in which it has been carried through the spring assembly. Because the spring assembly is now in compression, the connectors 37 can be easily released by lifting the heads 97 upward out through the slots till. It should be understood, that at this time the tips of the needles 89 will not be in the needle guide bearings 93, as shown in FIGURE 13, but will be some distance below them.

After all of the connectors 37 have been released, the solenoid control for the blocking bar cylinder is deenergized so that the air cylinder 121 returns to its normal position, sliding the compression bar 115 to the left. The rollers 129 on the bottom peg blocks allow the stops 127 to be slid horizontally without interference. As soon as the stops 127 and rollers 129 are disengaged, the inherent resiliency of the compressed springs returns the pegs 34 to their normal spaced-apart positions, freeing the completed mattress core so that it can be removed from the rack.

Now describing a representative operation of the apparatus 21 in the production of a mattress core for a double bed, the apparatus 21 is initially positioned as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2. Beginning at the bottom, a long strip of pocketed springs, such as that illustrated in FIG- URE 11, is laid down in serpentine fashion in the series of juxtaposed horizontal rows shown in FIGURES 3 and 10. A selector switch 133 is provided for regulating the movement of the rack 25, and a push button switch 135 is provided to run the motor 68 in the desired direction and to stop it if desired. The selector switch 133 is turned to neutral position and the up push button switch is actuated. This operation energizes the motor 68 driving the rack 25 upward so that the spring assembly 35 is impaled on the needle array 27. A cutoff contact 137 is provided adjacent each of the needles 89 so that if one of the needles jams in a peg 34, horizontal deflection of the upper portion of the needle closes the contact 137 and stops the motor 68 before the needle is broken. The rack 25 continues to travel upwards until it reaches the uppermost limit switch 131 which halts the motor 63.

The apparatus 21 is now in the position shown in FIG- URE 4. String connectors 37 approximately twice as long as the width of the final desired spring assembly are connected between each pair of needles, with their heads 97 inserted into the chambers 99 of the needles, as shown in FIGURE 4, to form a series of half-loops. If desired, single connectors approximately as long as the width of the final spring assembly can be inserted into each needle 89 instead of the connectors illustrated. Of course, these shorter connectors would have heads at each end.

The selector switch 133 is now moved to the DB position. This position activates the solenoid on the lower air cylinder 121 thereby moving the lower compression bar 115 into the engaging position. By pressing the down button 135 when the selector switch 133 is in the DB position, the motor 68 is energized through a reversing switch 139, causing it to drive the rack down- Wards. The DB limit switch 131 halts the motor when the rack 25 reaches a position approximately 8 inches below the compression bar 115. This position is illustrated in FIGURE 5. The connector heads 97 are now removed from the needle chambers 99 thus freeing the spring assembly 35 from any connection with the needle array 27.

The selector switch 133 is now returned to the neutral position. This removes power from the solenoid of the lower air cylinder 121, permitting the internal biasing of the cylinder valve to reverse power on the piston to slide the lower compression bar 115 back to its idle position.

Horizontalmovement of the compression bar frees the peg blocks allowing the spring assembly to expand. The down button is again pushed to drive the rack 25 to its lowest position, illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2, wherein the completed mattress core can be easily peeled from the rack. The apparatus is in readiness to repeat the process to produce another mattress core.

The finished mattress core appears as illustrated in FIGURE 12, with the connector heads 97 bearing tightly against the cloth pocketing because of the expansion of the rows of springs, after release from compression, to the limits allowed by the string connectors 37. It can be seen that by employing string connectors of the same length, a mattress core of uniform dimension is produced.

Various of the features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of making a mattress core which comprises assembling and supporting in juxtaposed position a series of nested rows of integrally connected closed textile pockets each containing a double-ended wire coil spring so that the opposite end turns of each of said springs are respectively poistioned in two spaced parallel planes representing the top and bottom faces of an assembly, and compressing said assembly in a direction transverse to said rows and generally perpendicular to the axes of said coil springs and inserting spaced con- .nectors of predetermined lengths having heads at each end through said assembly transversely to said rows and intermediate said planes, so that upon release of said compression said connectors hold said rows together with substantially equal force whereby uniformity of the dimensions of the core is assured.

2. The method of making a mattress core which comprises assembling and supporting in juxtaposed position a series of nested rows of integrally connected closed textile pockets each containing a double-ended wire coil spring so that the opposite end turns of each of said springs are respectively positioned in two spaced parallel planes representing the top and bottom faces of an assembly, compression said assembly in a direction transverse to said rows and generally perpendicular to the axes of said coil springs and inserting spaced string connectors of predetermined lengths having heads at each end through said assembly transversely to said rows and intermediate said planes, and relaxing said compression so that said string connectors are tensioned and hold said rows together with substantially equal force whereby uniformity of the dimensions of the core is assured.

3. The method of making a mattress core which comprises assembling and supporting in juxtaposed position a series of nested rows of integrally connected closed textile pockets, each containing a wire coil spring having a turn at each end, so that the opposite end turns of each of the springs in the rows are respectively positioned in two spaced parallel planes representing the top and bottom faces of an assembly, drawing the two ends of a single connector of predetermined length through said assembly along parallel spaced lines so that each line intersects said rows intermediate said planes and compressing said assembly in a direction transverse to said rows and generally perpendicular to the axes of said coil springs, said connector having a head at each end, and relaxing said compression so as to place said connector in tension.

4. The method of making a mattress core which compr1se assembling and supporting in juxtaposed position a series of nested rows of integrally connected closed textile pockets each containing a double-ended wire coil spring so that the opposite end turns of each of said springs are respectively positioned in two spaced parallel planes representing the top and bottom faces of an assembly, passing a plurality of elongated needles through said assembly transversely to said rows and intermediate said planes, attaching connectors of predetermined lengths having heads at each end to said needles, withdrawing said needles from said assembly so as to draw said connectors through said assembly and compressing said assembly in a transverse direction to said rows and generally perpendicular to the axes of said coil springs, detaching said connectorsfrom said needles, and relaxing said compression so that said connectors hold said rows together with substantially equal force whereby a mattress core having uniform dimensions is produced.

5. Apparatus for making a self-supporting mattress core unit from an assembly of a series of parallel touching rows of connected textile pockets each containing a wire coil spring having a pair of spaced end coils which are located respectively in two spaced parallel planes representing the top and bottom faces of the assembly, which apparatus comprises a support structure, a plurality of spaced pegs on said support structure adapted to be interposed between adjacent rows of the assembly, said pegs having parts arranged in parallel lines which lines are located in a plane intermediate the top and bottom planes of the assembly and which lines lie transverse the rows, said parts having means for admitting and guiding needles that are adapted to thread connectors therethrough, and means for moving the pegs of each line closer together whereby the assembly is compressed in a direction transverse the rows.

6. Apparatus for making a self-supporting mattress core unit from an assembly of a series of parallel touching rows of connected textile pockets each containing a wire coil spring having a pair of spaced end coils which are located respectively in two spaced parallel planes representing the top and bottom faces of the assembly, which apparatus comprises a support structure, a plurality of pegs on said support structure adapted to be interposed between adjacent rows of the assembly, said pegs having parts arranged in parallel lines which lines are located in a plane intermediate the top and bottom planes of the assembly and which lines lie transverse the rows, said parts having means for admitting and guiding needles, means positioning said pegs in said lines to receive the rows of pocketed springs, a plurality of needles mounted on said support structure, said needles being aligned with said peg parts and adapted to thread connectors therethrough, and means for moving the pegs of each line closer together whereby the assembly is compressed in a direction transverse the rows.

7. Apparatus for making a self-supporting mattress core unit from an assembly of a series of parallel touching rows of connected textile pockets each containing a Wire coil spring having a pair of spaced end coils which are located respectively in two spaced parallel planes representing the top and bottom faces of the assembly, which apparatus comprises a support structure, a plurality of parallel track means carried by said support means, a plurality of pegs slidably mounted in said each of said track means, said pegs being adapted to be interposed between adjacent rows of the assembly and said pegs having parts arranged in parallel lines which lines are located in a plane intermediate the top and bottom planes of the assembly and which lines lie transverse the rows, said parts having means for admitting and guiding needles, means positioning said pegs in spaced apart locations in said lines to receive the rows of pocketed springs, a plurality of needles mounted on said support structure, said needles being aligned with said peg parts and adapted to thread connectors therethrough, and means for moving the pegs of each line closer together whereby the assembly is compressed in a direction transverse the rows.

8. Apparatus for making a self-supporting mattress core unit from an assembly of a series of parallel touching rows of connected textile pockets each containing a wire coil spring having a pair of spaced end coils which are located respectively in two spaced parallel planes representing the top and bottom faces of the assembly, which apparatus comprises a support structure, a rack mounted on said support structure for vertical movement, a plurality of vertically aligned parallel track means carried by said rack, a plurality of pegs slidably mounted in each of said track means, said pegs being adapted to be interposed between adjacent rows of the assembly and said pegs having parts arranged in vertical parallel lines which lines are located in a plane intermediate the top and bottom planes of the assembly and which lines lie transverse the rows, said parts having means for admitting and guiding needles, pin means mounted on said track means positioning said pegs in vertically spaced apart locations in said lines to receive the rows of pocketed springs, a plurality of vertical needles mounted on said support structure, said needles being aligned with said peg parts and adapted to thread connectors therethrough, drive means connected to said rack for moving said rack in a vertical direction, and compression means for moving the pegs of each line closer together whereby the assembly is compressed in a direction transverse the rows.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,947,216 Micon Feb. 13, 1934 2,382,226 Hodges Aug. 14, 1945 2,554,961 Shifrin May 29, 1951 2,805,429 Woller Sept. 10, 1957 

1. THE METHOD OF MAKING A MATTRESS CORE WHICH COMPRISING ASSEMBLING AND SUPPORTING IN JUXTAPOSED POSITION A SERIES OF NESTED ROWS OF INTERGRALLY CONNECTED CLOSED TEXTILE POCKETS EACH CONTAINING A DOUBLE-ENDED WIRE COIL SPRING SO THAT THE OPPOSITE END TURNS OF EACH OF SAID SPRINGS ARE RESPECTIVELY POSITIONED IN TWO SPACES PARALLEL PLANES REPRESENTING THE TOP AND BOTTOM FACES OF AN ASSEMBLY, AND COMPRESSING SAID ASSEMBLY IN A DIRECTION TRANSVERSE TO SAID ROWS AND GENERALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE AXES OF SAID COIL SPRINGS AND INSERTING SPACED CONNECTORS OF PREDETERMINED LENGTHS HAVING HEADS AT EACH END THROUGH SAID ASSEMBLY TRANSVERSELY TO SAID ROWS AND INTERMEDIATE AND PLANES, SO THAT UPON RELEASE OF SAID COMPRESSION SAID CONNECTORS HOLD SAID ROWS TOGETHER WITH SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL FORCE WHEREBY UNIFORMITY OF THE DIMENSIONS OF THE CORE IS ASSURED. 